"I think the only thing that speaks is the law," she said. "The only thing we have going for us as Indigenous women and Indigenous people is that we can go into a courtroom and we can assert an inherent right over our bodies." [Debbie Ironbow quoted in David Shield, "'It steals your dreams': Saskatoon woman not sure whether she will join forced-sterilization lawsuit" October 11 2017, CBC News Online]

Both Robson’s short jot and Manian’s article are well worth reading, in terms of understanding coerced sterilization and legal approaches to these violations. Robson’s short but informative note concludes with these lines:

The story Manian ultimately tells is one of courage and resistance. As we confront renewed efforts to control the reproductive and sexual rights of immigrants, people of color, and all women, it is a story that is worth reading—and retelling.

Another place that the Saskatchewan case could take us is to the broader question of racism in health care that continues to be the experience of Indigenous people across the country. But for those interested particularly in “coerced sterilization,” here are some recent articles from a variety of national contexts.

One thought on “Coerced Sterilization”

Good comment. Been tracking influence of eugenics ideology, generally, but also in British, American & Canadian law. Something persistent & pervasive, since at least the beginning of the last century. This reminds me of the Holmes quote from 1927 in Buck, where justified upholding sterilization by saying that “three generations of imbeciles were enough”. Some ways not much changed.